Across Belgium, climate education took root in new ways. Through the 1Planet4All initiative “Klimaat in je klas” (Climate in Your Classroom), teachers learned to move beyond theory and make sustainability part of everyday school life.

This specific programme trained 98 teachers to guide 7 085 students aged 15-18 in linking climate change with migration, gender, and justice. Workshops and practical materials helped educators transform their role and become facilitators of youth-led actions.

One teacher described how this shift reshaped her school: “We transformed the play area – the concrete was removed and replaced with grass and trees. Students helped pick the species themselves and kept asking: ‘When will our trees arrive?’”

Teachers found this design-thinking approach boosted student motivation and ownership. Launched in 2022, the toolkit “Climate in your Classroom” combines two educational resources: one with a focus on migration, and one on gender justice.

The toolkit is now promoted by the Flemish Youth council and used across Belgian schools, showing how to move from climate anxiety to participation.